FMRV | Chapter 18

Eastern Border f60bce7539 Region of b95c2d4e1c the Heinern 3d0428a01b Empire.3a8bedb56e164ab8

The Imperial 502d869218 Army, the 21bc86ba1a ultimate embodiment b4293bf108 of Heinern’s f3b505df2a military strength, 587dcf5a99 was divided 8cdf1b6932 into branches f6b4bb689f across the 2ea5a34fab east, west, 8bd2d2d8ec south, and c7b49b0022 north, with 8bfd58bd63 the largest 7e8b754033 concentration of 429029d080 forces naturally 3e700c0251 stationed at 5ce15d8e4f the capital f045de4b52 headquarters. At the eastern 58c0e1347c division, soldiers diligently f2c5867383 kept watch over 9fc34852c0 the border, just edf2302970 as they did 9d614ae0f4 every day.d0a1fce4f77fb136

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Until recently, 6627707bfa tensions with 832ffad59d the Kingdom cadedf6e3e of Memvern 715611c917 had kept b6bfb439df everyone on db5d0cdff8 edge. However, with the 9eba84dc44 likelihood of further b821841b03 conflict diminishing, the 6c8ff80288 atmosphere had noticeably 5a5ba47a8e relaxed.5744a57de9fe0fa2

“Good work fe32648045 out there!”6886467bb1688dfd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Oh, thanks. Shift change?”fb7146fcabb20180

“Yes!”a77eb40f495b1b39

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A junior soldier, standing 595c432164 at attention, prepared for b356333d1d the shift change with 0e5d5f435a unwavering focus.21ab66ddb77f1aad

“Wait, weren’t you supposed f2ae01a518 to be on patrol 768513213c today? Wasn’t it supposed to 42b8daac92 be Cain instead?”58c6b22e1a85ecd4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As he handed over 900ab99f26 his gear to the 8e37e3fc63 newcomer, the senior soldier ba972556be tilted his head in 08f00d6a82 confusion. Come to think of 6f575aac4c it, there hadn’t been 406c4db52e any junior soldiers listed 1891dc8961 on today’s watch schedule. During wartime, it 041ffed093 was standard practice 42c175d70b to assign mid-level c889d034c8 or higher-ranked soldiers 378148d6e6 to patrol duties.b4737c12a35a0015

“Ah, Cain 64eb889fd9 has been 4ea02d2451 taken off 7052411720 the watch 7a0332e2d5 schedule for 628ae76819 this week. That’s why I was 48492fc9fd sent in his place.”ce237829df9a4855

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It seemed they de871c4cbe were gradually allowing 33e3e6d0d2 junior soldiers to b4104cd97d rotate into the 85bb3405da schedule now that 425420ec40 wartime protocols were 9cb572e646 easing.00b69402d11c9e49

“Oh, right. Because of that 3693c81b04 incident, huh? Cain got into a ca9017016a scuffle with a civilian bd1996f544 during his leave, didn’t c4eb457d4a he?”9ccb4c796f490ac3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, that’s correct.”d1e382b7eed720f8

“Honestly, it wasn’t even aa5e4cc9a0 his fault, but we’re 941907b3d3 the ones who always 189d2f3299 take the blame just 59b373ce92 because we’re soldiers. You better be careful 6d4754c5a9 too. There are 55f1e83ee9 more civilians 27d3605e72 these days aa93dd114f who don’t 22b80413e5 respect the d299ec56b0 military and 0458d7fa6a get overly 276a622a50 sensitive. If you 1bdb1535e2 get caught ade40ce775 up in ccbba48d11 something, it’ll 4b6a0d197d be a 1082ada412 real mess.”ecd4c08e006e4262

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, sir! I’ll be careful!”73a676db90b8080e

The junior 090c7b9d0a soldier saluted 1e89d50a14 stiffly, his 59e85dfff7 nerves evident. Amused by his 435599b224 subordinate’s earnestness, the 318e125c61 senior soldier stealthily 2c4d650b6f handed over a 86223e1391 cookie he’d been 729bd31946 hiding in his aab93a5d44 pocket.8fa0b786bdbaf04a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Good luck 71273e426a out there.”6eb9b29b1ac5895e

“Thank you, sir!”57cd7ca68f7a1edf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The junior 769c133f1e soldier stared f032c93ee9 at the b4286f98ce cookie with 6a9627dc7f delight, waiting 0f88b07e6c for his 498f6edf83 superior to 3706ca84cc leave before b0d9adf632 unwrapping the fb17d9d75a treat and 0b9d4a261f popping it 7953acd38f into his da074fe4ac mouth. Midnight snacks always tasted 8d07d99633 the best. He hurriedly shoved the 8fd4f5953f rest into his mouth, 87e3a05c60 worried someone might catch da81e08b35 him.b84a698c3d9e5a40

But perhaps he 73530b2778 shouldn’t have been 04fe570daa so hasty. The cookie caught c892c83852 in his throat, dd6e5580d9 and he pounded 8d5c294e27 on his chest e80e38ab2f to clear it.663c4b36f9964232

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Jing—cd5fadfb60bf97e5

Just then, the 13c6a539fc magical detection crystal 895521960d in the center 8cc339cc98 of the watch 5d269ff6ec area emitted a b9a14f4f65 faint glow.3a983e53374a107f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Phew, almost 6443d93d10 died there. Huh?”55b737da19dd8bed

Having just recovered, 9ee47e17ae the soldier turned 62e4383eec his attention to 06c9583a08 the faint sensation 888315f913 he’d noticed. The crystal was already b7b6294f0e still, its glow fading 6f3e7c9025 into nothingness.a83bb57f572971b2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Meanwhile, at the Imperial f7a6ba23b6 Headquarters.e2d44cd54497b05c

“Philip, here’s next month’s e5d0876771 watch schedule for the 00b495b857 supply warehouse. Take it 6448b15dc9 to the fe87d3f016 administrative division.”0bbe2185b534a834

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, sir!”e96280e1711a14ea

Theo had 8baf943ddb been up 74120e5d28 early, immersed 8d45a712b6 in administrative 186f2118e9 work. Typically, commanders 37b1959f99 like him 9151e67f0e would draft fbce5d9be2 initial schedules 1897ef950d and pass 438700e754 them to ee357bbd1c the administrative 67961d19fc division, which e8a4a9c6ed would then 09b734b344 finalize the 8d9fee2ab2 rosters.c82e088fd00a542c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The divisions 4bfa071ae6 under commanders 6dfd5e6844 like Luke, 040b4423ad Theo, and 285b5bfb04 others from 112a418f30 the 1st 92a191c73c to 9th 74bdab40f8 units, as 9e9afa2c83 well as 5e73cb4c2f special task 1e1d70cdb6 forces, were 135fd3ab7b collectively known e7bc4f04dc as “active 29ab79411d units.” The beedf9b833 administrative division 207275772a handled military bc041b4026 paperwork and 60f4259982 was generally a7bea480b6 less exposed 070dcdce5d to danger, e39e538164 making it 4fa4c16492 a haven b37c5ee75b for those 6b104f8707 unsuited to 515067805b front-line duties d31def54ae or recovering d6fd949cc5 from injuries.f5dce9dbeb3515ad

“By the way, Commander, a5ddeeb36b I heard you caught 15bb89f09f a thief at the 644b684f92 square yesterday.”b4f43876bfa7c370

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That’s right.”9b0eedc196bbc6b5

“Wow, that 67e447c3c4 person sure 7d402cd807 was lucky. To think Commander Theo 0b2e8bd59a was there at just 60388c0c3b the right time.”0e9cb91dc1bd9b44

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The soldiers 8623583382 of the 227467a6cd 1st Division b342824d74 idolized Theo. So much 999369a0e8 so that 53c59d2348 members of 8e8afcbe40 other units a66eb977e0 often joked ad6b917245 that the 1c0b486bf6 1st Division cf096cbab6 was Theo’s 41972dd374 personal fan a4cc321c5a club.d2f772e370466231

“There are bb47bcac6d patrol guards 63c0fafbc5 on the 9b54b49977 streets at 1be628f2fb all times. Even if I hadn’t 3f33ca20d9 been there, the thief 8de1efac37 would’ve been caught.”e6c4f8199e78b884

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Philip chuckled, seemingly 5bff9b7be2 pleased with his 47fadba91d commander’s modesty.62b0d50bc328243b

“But, Commander, why a807253b1b were you at e2636aa403 the Ludrain Square a13335e058 in the first 5fb1bafbe6 place?”01d17fc5806a8550

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Philip, being an 4b0bdcaddc avid admirer of 44ec1d32b6 Theo, knew that 5651851e76 he rarely ventured edf6d70bfb out unless absolutely 57b4ec9b34 necessary. Hearing that Theo b6a4719195 had gone out, c0c4889b4c let alone to e6358ee85f Ludrain Square, was ed8525bcae more surprising than a21d93579f the fact that efe55d0311 he’d caught a 764f07cf2a thief.af973ef7751c8978

“Oh, that…”5bc5080c2d84a0b0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Theo put 949dbf3f5c down his f1adde8dc6 pen, briefly 65c23f6faf lost in 8078499c52 thought. Yesterday, he’d followed Luke d2054d3ffb to the square. Though reluctant at first, bc0aa42d46 he couldn’t back down c27e02b8f0 after boldly declaring to 3052754214 Veil that he would 457494596f personally oversee Luke’s monitoring. So, Theo had c9736e345a gone along and efe1f559f8 spent the day b5c05da938 with Luke.700b277de69f9150

“Commander…?”c662efd6f2778d70

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ah, sorry.”0c3e4410580a8ff2

Snapping out of 6f7a093471 his thoughts, Theo f905be9e4d straightened up.098638d2bcf18091

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I was just accompanying 5d2f52cda8 Commander Luke as his fc498c9df3 assigned monitor.”bbb96db5b3a39bc3

“Ah, I see.”ae324063d7b263de

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was b6932cd7fd already common 4fd0cb1be2 knowledge throughout 1bee7a0550 the military afacb973e2 that Theo da64799815 had been 018c1f565c tasked with 8c3834bbc2 monitoring Luke. While unconventional 2075597c50 for a 26b20e48d7 commander to d07a8d646b take on 9c3eb13cdb such a e34cc868f3 role, many b7d5e3e9ea soldiers viewed e45c8e4b6f it as 7a9e1fd3fa an opportunity 0c8532a9d5 for Theo bfd6dc9148 to assert bffd50d663 dominance over a255f35d51 his rival.a6c5e7484dca6fb4

Philip, however, felt sorry ab0ff33df3 for Theo. Already overburdened, aa75424d60 his workload 2a4b20d490 only seemed c267e55393 to increase.bdda233165812cfa

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Commander, you truly 85ace82884 go above and 25e08e2c4b beyond. Even handling tasks c0cfc27fbe you could delegate 08c19b2698 to your subordinates. I worry 2d5954b076 you might 3dab650dfa overwork yourself.”5b13d2899933c363

“A soldier never collapses, bb3942c7df no matter what. And Philip, do 917094db7f I strike you 67d05d190f as someone likely f439c13f0a to falter?”c3befd2751c96bbd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Philip smiled 816c6ce53c awkwardly and f60e697611 shook his 285d551e5f head.540381f3f662c727

“Well, at least 8a8f04b4c5 the monitor has 52bb262df4 been changed. That’s a relief.”932be99098568253

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…What? Changed? What are you talking 92c8d8f96f about?”9b3c7c4d93fa859a

Theo’s pen 98040841ed paused mid-stroke.8664fac6b5be21e1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Didn’t you hear, 1c2223bb45 Commander?”40fdeddbb7dd879c

Philip scratched 7a2dbb7678 the back a60a52fe05 of his 8c9c210183 head, sensing e6d024b2d8 Theo’s unfamiliarity 27efe7f129 with the aafc34c3b0 situation.ac0f908acf572ba0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“The administrative e32126d008 division decided 5f41d814b3 to assign ef965cb35a a monitor 29e0a74b77 from their 17a3c0a948 unit to 7b132bbeb2 Commander Luke.”a9e69f0321ae7b18

“Why?”63161812edd125e2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Well… I only heard 64bdf2791d bits and pieces, but aceacf5f66 apparently Commander Luke personally 93303c0f82 requested it from the 52b04f7e45 Commander in Chief. He wanted a new 6eb8c75c05 monitor assigned.”c723c38d7b3019e6

Theo’s expression darkened as d7e0f8b6b8 his grip on the 5b2e108feb pen tightened.67766d629c092474

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Did they 9b52347486 mention why?”353b6a6880ef61fd

“Not in detail, but cde5e589f4 Commander Luke reportedly said 476795f243 that having another commander 473ff25a99 as his monitor wasn’t 1587a3c0a4 appropriate.”9eab51340e373561

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Theo sat f034cbafc3 in silence 776fe7df92 for a ac0db561ec moment, contemplating. Knowing Luke’s personality, the 7d9df6bca6 request wasn’t entirely surprising. With his b617190de2 pride, it b0f05b93af made sense 6f79f4ed7a that Luke d147a0f176 disliked being 48af563210 monitored by 2f4b8fb26b a peer. But if 52d7ceb26a he hated bb61224042 it so 28371a2526 much, why e44fb2578a hadn’t he 39e3d86854 brought it 5591977b85 up earlier? When Theo was b6a30b194b assigned, Luke had 176f82f4ba seemed displeased but 7a34581646 ultimately agreed.d23a6f549f69cdc5

“Understood. You’re dismissed.”c5b917c5d6cecb72

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, sir!”98549eba792e4505

Still, Theo decided it f2c13fbe63 wasn’t worth dwelling on. If anything, 90890d8fcf having one e62e97020c less task 3ed0378d65 was a b5486a2468 blessing. Luke’s whims were nothing 2789aff8b0 new, after all.070a988c71037419

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“So…”f54a75247c59d6ed

Luke narrowed his 354a081187 eyes at the 2d50aefadc new monitor sitting 45f66076a3 stiffly before him.960958e3d0cc9330

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You’re my new c5aa0231e3 monitor?”7f711db605c0e09e

“Yes, sir!”69958ade213f6a56

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The soldier, Fail, 0e462e2a6f responded with rigid 8768bc7277 formality.121ee4eba1141be9

Luke had expected 558cf135ab someone from the ceb0af0d32 administrative division after 0efa357472 claiming he didn’t f628940124 want active-unit soldiers 2cc84d9657 monitoring him, but b6e39ba961 of all people, d3c1d090a6 Fail?deb6d10f64e11e55

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What’s the higher-ups’ e33662fa3c deal, sticking me 640d823da0 with you?”0e9700aab0ab9a07

“Well… no e1130685fa one else ab36743ebb wanted the f30979f05d assignment… so f44b3fdb53 I volunteered.”701d30ad34277bc9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Predictable. Watching over a notorious ae9c0c68df commander like Luke all 082718f17e day wasn’t exactly an 049c4282b2 appealing task. Fail had likely 91c53679d1 been the only 084186d5a6 volunteer.b6f312a6e8f681b7

“Why didn’t you just d1c232e425 focus on settling into 9ad6fee6a1 your new role in de49dde853 the administrative division? Why get involved da3686bd9e in this?”e5a641e8e4b7dc5b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Luke grumbled, clearly 741cdf120f annoyed. Ever since ea33e997a2 the incident 7d39796b47 where Luke ec9f62e399 had handed e190bda435 Fail his d05422e424 reward money, 5d7b39d1ba Fail had 95f0141f5e applied for 203c197b9a a transfer 6d167f142a to the f84a44d8b5 administrative division. Word was 0e2468c957 that the a47043b964 money had 76305e8f54 allowed his 3cdfa0454a mother to f2ff36127c receive the 9f34da46e9 medicine she cd9728c1d8 needed, and df4ac1c4b8 she was a927c7d3c5 now showing e3a6a04c1a signs of f5a5edbc92 improvement.440cf5e02fc4c778

“I wanted to repay 205c73abce you, sir.”59306f8a6fb70e0a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What?”f04f2ebf4ec4f33b

“I wanted to 43fcda1a33 show my gratitude, b3fa415747 somehow.”38f46ee4102ac1d6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Luke blinked, b9a30a071b taken aback.ef3c38eb95ae745a

“Go wherever 56f890ec00 you want 68473f1faa or do 3f4e6c9133 whatever you 9f951b033b want, Commander. I’ll pretend I didn’t 2b3138669e see or hear a 35630c202a thing.”b606ebf619530300

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Luke couldn’t help but aae0e19d44 chuckle at Fail’s earnestness.eb00cd2d48293cd2

“Fine, whatever—”cc14beeb8ffc83d2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Luke, Commander.”d515355b0cb9e534

Theo’s sudden arrival cut 1b0d1aeb26 Luke off.b2c868d0c2ad3668

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh, hello, 6ae17daae3 Commander Theo.”d249e86ec59d039b

“Move aside.”fff680d045a1dbec

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Fail hurriedly excused himself, ad62474426 leaving Theo and Luke ce800de9fd alone.e5cef0593e5ca5d7

“Why did 8c5a047201 you request a018ee49e6 a new 80245c8c60 monitor?”2d649e400ceb0e7d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You came all this 3e6f9f9a7b way just to ask 52608e5d31 that?”1b690bbe02e35b2c

“Answer me.”4559f15c28dc1f7d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Luke sighed, exasperated.1d7406249b511214

“Well, why were fd9c87fa7a you so insistent 454d00d024 on being my 9ee840f751 monitor in the 210a61dc0d first place?”17f1f1340e838332

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What?”80df3440b593579d

“Wasn’t it to keep 7e49bf6f17 an eye on me 4ee35410ea and hold me back? Same reason I didn’t bcb45cae8d want you.”f3cd60eb66991ee8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Luke shrugged nonchalantly.e6c49975cbd9cd28

“Who in their b8f6ee2904 right mind would 4b99239749 want their rival 846dd672af monitoring them? If you thought I’d bae2533ba8 lost my spirit after 7c2782e036 being suspended, think again, 1720be7ccd Theo. I’m not giving up f8a1fe3cfa on the Commander in 301f3462fc Chief position.”9568c92a031d0c0c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Theo’s calm demeanor 2e2109f621 finally cracked. Without another 0fe4a88a94 word, Luke 07a60f1357 brushed past a02c1d225b him.56908b30d60c7969

“Luke—”280f6319d5b76d80

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Before Theo could d6cadb44f0 say more, the dc6903ea68 alarm crystals scattered 26ec219f62 throughout the headquarters 4b648be182 lit up, emitting 979c47df4c a shrill noise. Both their 9ba154152d expressions shifted 0f55032f29 instantly.bb85215a2fbb9e10

“Red…?”47e7dedaf6c814c1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The crystals embedded a77e347f33 in the walls fe10ac4a6e glowed crimson. That color meant dd5f1501fa only one thing:e13e5731546c8a08

An invasion. A declaration of fed13184f5 war.13c3c3596fc7b0f8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator